On Thursday, U.S. Senate Democrats, led by Senator Bernie Sanders, held a hearing to question the CEOs of major pharmaceutical companies Merck, Johnson & Johnson, and Bristol Myers Squibb about the high cost of prescription drugs in the United States. Sanders presented stark price comparisons, noting Januvia costs $6,900 in the U.S. versus $200 in France, Keytruda is $191,000 in the U.S. compared to $44,000 in Japan, Eliquis is $7,100 in the U.S. and $900 in Canada, Stelara is $79,000 in the U.S. against $16,000 in the UK, and Symtuza is priced at $56,000 in the U.S. while it is $8,300 in Germany. Despite the grilling, the executives did not commit to lowering prices, instead defending their pricing strategies by blaming pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and citing the high cost of innovation. The hearing was part of ongoing efforts to address the issue of drug affordability, with 82% of Americans reportedly saying that the cost of prescription drugs is too high.
Drug company CEOs were in the hot seat, as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt) sought to harness the anger over high drug prices into action. Here's what Sanders said: https://t.co/FFED0bcKJ1
US SENATE GRILL PHARMA CEOS ON DRUG PRICES (Reuters) U.S. Senate Democrats grilled three top pharmaceutical executives over the high cost of prescription drugs on Thursday but failed to extract any commitments from them to lower prices. https://t.co/8uZtMafePc
US Senate Democrats grill pharma CEOs on drug prices https://t.co/2wYBm3Imf2 https://t.co/RPmmFxi8mJ
Pharma CEOs don't budge on pricing at hearing with Sanders https://t.co/lnIiyv91hK @PeterSullivan4
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) landed some tough questions on three major pharmaceutical CEOs at a hearing on Thursday but didn't come away with new commitments to lower prices or make other concessions. https://t.co/Dh09hPcqBD
For about 3 hrs on Thurs., senators pressed the CEOs of Merck, Bristol Myers Squibb and Johnson & Johnson on why US drugs cost so much, & the CEOs largely parried lawmakers’ questions, sticking to their message of blaming PBMs and citing the high cost of innovation.…
For about three hours on Thurs., senators pressed the CEOs of Merck, Bristol Myers Squibb and Johnson & Johnson on why US drugs cost so much. And for those three hours, the CEOs largely parried lawmakers’ questions, sticking to their message of blaming PBMs and citing the high…
⚠️ US SENATE DEMOCRATS GRILL PHARMA CEOS ON DRUG PRICES (Reuters) U.S. Senate Democrats grilled three top pharmaceutical executives over the high cost of prescription drugs on Thursday but failed to extract any commitments from them to lower prices. Bristol Myers Squibb CEO… https://t.co/hFBbbUTqvs
In a showy hearing, Bernie Sanders gets few answers about lower drug prices https://t.co/o8Ui0JYRbV
In a jam-packed hearing room, Sen. Bernie Sanders pressed CEOs with familiar questions about how expensive drugs are in America. https://t.co/j9nrs5CVEb
Under Bernie Sanders’ glare, pharmaceutical chiefs will testify on drug prices https://t.co/gleiriwVQm
The top executives of three major companies are set to appear on Thursday before a Senate panel led by Mr. Sanders, who has made lowering drug costs a signature issue. https://t.co/9yNCsEuYhm
Pharma CEOs Will Testify Today Over Prescription Drug Prices: Here’s What To Watch For https://t.co/BTWiNXWwyr https://t.co/HbLomsvuGH
The chief executives of three major pharmaceutical companies are set to appear in front of the Senate health committee on Thursday to defend how much they charge for drugs in the United States. https://t.co/vGHBvszzJC
$BMY, $MRK and $JNJ CEOs are up at the @HELPCmteDems hearing now - @SenSanders opens w/82% of Americans saying the cost of prescription drugs is too high. "We spend almost twice as much per capita as any other country."
LIVE: Pharma CEOs testify before Senate committee on drug prices https://t.co/CQDAleXp7a
$MRK $JNJ $BMY Senators to question Merck, J&J and Bristol Myers Squibb CEOs over high U.S. drug pricing - CNBC https://t.co/mszovXUbh8
Senators to question Merck, J&J and Bristol Myers Squibb CEOs over high U.S. drug pricing https://t.co/rDWCRqqKAD
As pharma execs face drug-price grilling on Capitol Hill, experts cite deeper problems under the radar https://t.co/gP6WbsPphC @A_Ciaccia @46brooklyndata
Merck, J&J and Bristol Myers CEOs face drug-pricing grilling on Capitol Hill, but experts cite deeper problems under the radar https://t.co/JrcBY47mxr
Why are we holding a hearing tomorrow with the CEOs of Merck, Johnson & Johnson & Bristol Myers Squibb? The drug prices speak for themselves: Januvia 🇺🇸$6,900 🇫🇷$200 Keytruda 🇺🇸$191,000 🇯🇵$44,000 Eliquis 🇺🇸$7,100 🇨🇦$900 Stelara 🇺🇸$79,000 🇬🇧$16,000 Symtuza 🇺🇸$56,000 🇩🇪$8,300